Dieffenbachia plant named ‘COOL BEAUTY’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Dieffenbachia  cultivar named ‘COOL BEAUTY’ is disclosed, characterized marginal white colored foliage followed by a green interior halo and lighter green and yellow-green innermost section. Variegation occurs on upper and lower leaf surfaces. Plants produce abundant short foliage. The new variety is a  Dieffenbachia , normally produced as an indoor ornamental container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Dieffenbachia sanguine schott.

Variety denomination: ‘COOL BEAUTY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Dieffenbachia cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor at a commercial greenhouse in Japan.

The parent is the unpatented variety Dieffenbachia sanguine schott ‘Camille’. The new variety was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation among a population of tissue culture propagated plants used for commercial production of the parent variety.

First asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘COOL BEAUTY’ was performed by tissue culture at a commercial laboratory in Japan during 2015. Multiple generations have been produced, and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘COOL BEAUTY’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘COOL BEAUTY’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘COOL BEAUTY’ as a new and distinct Dieffenbachia cultivar:

-   -   1. Distinct white foliage margin.     -   2. Short foliage.     -   3. Abundant leaf production.     -   4. Distinct variegated foliage on both upper and lower surfaces.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘COOL BEAUTY’ are comparable to the parent Dieffenbachia ‘Camille’, unpatented. The two Dieffenbachia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics however, the new variety ‘COOL BEAUTY’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Parent has marginal green colored foliage with white and         yellow color in center of leaves, new variety has marginal white         colored foliage followed by a green interior halo and lighter         green and yellow-green innermost section.     -   2. Leaf venation of the new variety is green, the parent variety         has a white/yellow colored venation.     -   3. Leaf length on new variety is shorter than parent variety.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘COOL BEAUTY’ are comparable to the variety Dieffenbachia ‘Tropic Marianne’. The two Dieffenbachia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics however, the new variety ‘COOL BEAUTY’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has marginal white colored foliage followed         by a green interior halo and lighter green and yellow-green         innermost section. This comparator has yellow foliage with a         thick green margin.     -   2. Leaves of the new variety are smaller than foliage of this         comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a plant of ‘Cool Beauty’ in a 16 cm pot, approximately 12 months old from a single rooted tissue culture plantlet.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a close-up view of foliage of ‘Cool Beauty’. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘COOL BEAUTY’ plants grown in a climate controlled greenhouse in Fukuoka-City, Japan. Temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. at night to 25° C. to 32° C. during the day. Light intensity was between 2500 and 3500 foot-candles. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Dieffenbachia sanguine schott ‘COOL     BEAUTY’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: About 14 days at approximately 25° C. -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: Approximately 8 to 12 weeks at     approximately 22° to 25° C. -   Root description: Fleshy, moderately thick, roots covered in fine     lateral roots. Colored near RHS White 155A.

PLANT

-   Age of the plant described: Approximately 12 months from a single     rooted tissue culture plantlet. Grown in a 16 cm pot. -   Growth habit: Semi-horizontal, outwardly spreading, tender tropical. -   Height: Approximately 35 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 35 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. Approximately 5-7 cm per month from rooted     phase. -   Branching characteristics: Branches emerging basally. -   Diameter of stem: Approximately 2 cm near root. 1 cm on top. -   Texture of stem: Smooth. -   Color of stem: Near RHS Green 139C. -   Stem strength: Strong. -   Number of leaves per stem: Each branch has 5-7 leaves. 10 leaves on     main stem.

FOLIAGE

-   Arrangement: Alternate.     -   -   Average length.—Approximately 15 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 7.5 cm at widest point.         -   Shape of blade.—Elliptic to ovate.         -   Apex.—Caudate.         -   Base.—Sheathing.         -   Margin.—Entire, very slightly undulating.         -   Aspect.—Slightly recurved downward, slightly undulate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Matte.         -   Appearance of lower surface.—Matte.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: White margin near White             155D, interior halo near Green 136A, innermost section near             Yellow-Green 145A and Green-White 157D. Young foliage under             side: White margin near White 155D, interior halo near Green             136C, innermost section near Yellow-Green 145C and             Green-White 157D. Mature foliage upper side: White margin             near White 155D, interior halo near Green 134A, innermost             section near Yellow-Green 145B and Green-White 157C. Mature             foliage under side: White margin near White 155D, interior             halo near Green 136C, innermost section near Yellow-Green             145C and Green-White 157C.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate Midrib characteristics: Protruding             very slightly on upperside, significantly on underside.             Venation coloration: upperside: Near RHS Green 138A.             underside: Near RHS Green 137B. -   Petiole     -   -   Length.—Average range for mature leaf 3 to 7 cm.         -   Width.—Average 1.0 cm.         -   Color.—Upperside: Near RHS Green 138B. Edge colored near             Green-White 157D. Underside: Near RHS Green 138B. Edge             colored near Green-White 157D.         -   Angle.—Upright, approximately 15° to center.         -   Strength.—Strong, moderately flexible.         -   Texture.—Smooth.

FLOWER

-   Flowering has not been observed.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     pathogens and pests common to Dieffenbachia have been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures     between 2 to 40° C. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dieffenbachia plant named ‘COOL BEAUTY’ as herein illustrated and described. 